Labor has today voted in favour of legislation that will restore certainty to the native title system in Australia, after extensive consultation with Indigenous groups.

The government has stuffed up the handling of this bill from the start. Its attempts to rush these changes through Parliament without proper consultation were disgraceful – Labor had to drag the government to the table to talk to the Indigenous groups who would be most directly affected.

It was only because of these consultations that significant issues with the bill were discovered, resulting in a number of last-minute amendments by the government.

Labor has always supported the intent of this bill, but objected to the government’s woeful handling. Senator Brandis’s incompetence has delayed the passage of this bill, not Labor.

Labor recognises that the Indigenous community is not united in its support for this bill. But the overwhelming message Labor has received through its consultation is that the consensus is in favour of certainty being returned to the native title system.

Labor will always put Indigenous people first, and will continue to push the government to treat native title as an issue that requires respectful treatment, and adequate consultation.